Matrix Software

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Chunky C
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Post by Chunky C »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by jj</i>
<br />Chunky,
Sorry I didn't know about this sooner. If you need some help coding something, let me know. I might be able to help out.
Unfortunately my pc times out when trying to get the beta zip file.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Now you tell me! lol It's written in VB6 SP5/SP6 (started in SP5, then upgraded to SP6)BTW

I can use your help with printing from the program. If you have any ideas, thoughts, experience with that.

Or if there are any features that you would like to see added. I can provided you with the information that you'd need to create some subroutines.

Just let me know.

cc
jj
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Post by jj »

Well, I haven't touched VB in about 10 years and don't have V6 so I may not be able to help that much. hmmmm. Too bad it isn't Java or straight C.
Chunky C
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Post by Chunky C »

Java? yuk. LOL

I wish it was C of C++ but I just never took the time to figure out Visual C++.

cc
jj
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Post by jj »

Vis C++ isn't too bad.

Java isn't too bad. Not really OO, but close enough and if you know C well it is nothing to pick up Java. Nicest thing is that it is very portable and you can very easily make the program a stand alone application as well as a web application.

realize though that while I currently manage Software teams (just had 80 people working for me) I used to write some very heavy duty stuff. Most intense was writing an app for a massively parallel computer with 4,000 CPUs. But most fun was writing Video Games back in the early 80s. In fact some real game heads are resurrecting some of my ols arcade game code.

But all of that was Assembler [:D]
Chunky C
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Post by Chunky C »

Assembly language. uummmm the good ole days. lol

I've never liked Java much. J-Script is ok for some web stuff. Granted I haven't used a lot of apps programed in it, but the onese that I have are absolute memory munching monsters. I've just not had good experence w/ it.

Granted, that's just my opinion and it based on limited exposure to Java. You know what they say about A' Ho... No that's not right, .. say about opinions.

C++ has to be my favorite language. I like it's class structure. Man the things I used to be able to do with classes, but I haven't touch C++ in a long long time. :( Now I've made myself sad.

----------------------------

But anyway,

I should have the final release out sometime tomorrow. Is the RCCA going to host it where anyone who wants it can have access to it?

cc
jj
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Post by jj »

Chunky,

I tried the app last night and have many windows overlapping other windows. It seems that the app may not be set up well for my screen resolution.

Consider making the real estate for the basic layout a bit larger to avoid some of the overlaps. Also, you may want to try resizing your screen and seeing what hapens at different resolutions.

Other than the display problems it seemed to be working ok.
Chunky C
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Post by Chunky C »

It's designed to fit an 800x600 Resolution screen, almost. At 8x6 resolution, the status bar is hidden under the task bar but you can hide the tool bar and task bar to get it to fit better.

Did you try the two different layout options? View > Wide layout.

cc
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Post by jj »

Yes I tried the wide layout which put one set of controls smack on top of another and made it impossible to use.

Not sure why it is so bad, but it is. I'm running at 1280x1024.
Chunky C
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Post by Chunky C »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by jj</i>
<br />Yes I tried the wide layout which put one set of controls smack on top of another and made it impossible to use.

Not sure why it is so bad, but it is. I'm running at 1280x1024.


<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Really??? Which set of controls over what?

I'm not sure if I have a monitor that will do that resolution any more sense my flat screen LCD died.

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jj
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Post by jj »

The control pane with
New Matrix,
Load Pilots,
Save Pilots,
exit

ends up right on top of Matrix V2.

Only does this in wide mode.
Chunky C
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Post by Chunky C »

RH put a call out for someone to help him revamp the old Matrix Generation program that the RCCA uses to generate their Round and Heat Matrix. After many hours and the hard work of all of the beta testers we now have the initial release of Matrix V2. This program can be used for almost any round / heat generation that you need to do, not just for combat.

The program was rewritten from the ground up using Visual Basic V6 SP6. It comes with a convenient install program and installs in just seconds on most PC's.

I would like to personally thank Drew Jet, RH and Ed Kettler for their help. I know how much of a pain beta testing is. They must have installed and uninstalled a dozen different program versions to get to were we are today. Also Doug Haacke for the wonderful Matrix V1 program.

Requirements:
MS Windows - Should work on all versions but only tested on Win2k, Win2k Server and XP.
Microsoft Excel for the Excel features only. Not required for generating matrices.

Features:
1) A different method of generating a matrix that will help to better distribute pilots so that they don't fly against the same pilots round after round. Although the math won't allow unique heats every time, it will reduce the number of duplicate flies.
2) The Ability to export to MS Excel. You MUST have MS Excel installed for this to work. Other Excel "look-a-likes" will not work.
3) The ability to add frequencies to the frequency list. As the hobby evolves, the frequency channels do to.\
4) No-Fly frequencies. If your field has no-fly frequencies, you can select these from the frequency list as a double check that no pilot flies on a No-Fly frequency channel.
5) You can load / import Matrix V1 pilots list into the Matrix V2. Matrix V2 pilot lists are not compatible with matrix V1.
6) Many more.

What it doesn't do,
1) RH asked for a program that would limit people from the same area from flying against each other. This has not been added yet. I would like to see how the generator performs without this feature first to see if it's really needed with the new generation method. This is the "Zone" feature on the main window.
2) Printing. There is no means yet to do any printing from Matrix V2. To print, you will have to open the text files in Notepad and Excel for the spread sheet.
3) There is no manual or help file so read the readme and the version text files!


http://spadfest.rcspads.com/albums/user ... 2Final.zip

No program is perfect so if you happen to stumble upon an "undocumented design feature", send an email to <b>bugreport at rcspads dot com</b> and use the subject line <b>BUG REPORT</b>.

Chunk

http://spadworld.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12242
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Post by RH »

Thanks a million for all your hard work on this, Chunk!! I really appreciate it as will all future users of Matrix V2.

Let's all give Chunk a big round of applause!!! Bravo.

He spent a ton of time and effort on this. Wish the pay was better, Chunk.

r
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Post by Web-Pilot »

Chunk,

Thanks a lot for all of your effort on this!!! I know it took a "Ton o Time" to get it done. I have been following the progress and downloaded and played with a few beta versions as well. I loaded up beat v1.04 and it seems to work pretty well for what I needed. I was concerned about it expiring at the end of the month because I have a contest I want to use it for on May 6th. I have downloaded the final version and plan on using it for the contest.

Again, THANK YOU for the tremendous effort that you put into this. I don't think that you are even a RCCA member which makes this efort on your part all the more special.

Come cut some streamers with us now!

George
Chunky C
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Post by Chunky C »

I've been known to cut a streamer or two from time to time, but it's only on rare instances. And no, I'm not a member of the RCCA.

Thanks for all of the praises but I think the praises would be better severed once we know it works as it should. I suggest that anyone who is planning on using it in the very near future (Ginni-pig), experiment with the program to make sure there isn't any thing that creeps up and kills a combat meet because the Matrix program crashed. That would suck and is my biggest concern!

I don't expect that happen but I just can't guarantee that there isn't something that I've overlooked or some odd PC specific issue that I don't know about.

Also, I don't consider it to be finished. I consider this the first release. There are still some things that were asked for that this release doesn't address, printing and zones to name two.

Those of you that are going to use it, I would ask that email me a copy of the MV2 file(s) after the meet. <b>And especially with "zones" added</b>. Even though their not being used in the calculation, I'd like to see the zone distribution within the matrix.

"Watch you six slow poke!"

Chunk

[hint]If any one wants to make a help file to accompany the program, your more than welcome to.[/hint]
Chunky C
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Post by Chunky C »

I started a "Support" thread at Spadworld for Matrix V2. It's a "no reply" thread, just the facts as I get them. That will have to do until I find the time to get a web page setup for Matrix V2 support.

http://spadworld.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12242

CC
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